Deutsche Telekom COO Hamid Akhavan, described as "visionary" at DT, will replace interim CEO Mark Stone, who will continue as chairman.
WSJ is reporting (registration required) that Siemens Enterprise Communications Group will name the COO of Deutsche Telekom as SEN's new CEO, replacing interim CEO Mark Stone (read my recent interview with Stone here).The article says Siemens has confirmed the appointment of Hamid Akhavan to head up SEN, but no official announcement has been made. Stone, a top executive at the Gores Group, the private equity firm that owns 51% of SEN, stepped in when CEO Jim O'Neill left earlier this year.
This Reuters article describes Akhavan as "the only visionary at [Deutsche Telekom]." Some more background from Reuters:
Akhavan, a self-described gadget freak, is credited with turning T-Mobile into an innovative and modern business amid slowing growth at the wireless unit in Europe and increasing competition in the United States.
In 2007, Akhavan negotiated an exclusive deal with Apple to bring the iPhone to Germany, incensing main rival Vodafone, who unsuccessfully tried to scupper the deal with legal measures. (Ed. note: scupper FTW!)
In 2007, Akhavan negotiated an exclusive deal with Apple to bring the iPhone to Germany, incensing main rival Vodafone, who unsuccessfully tried to scupper the deal with legal measures. (Ed. note: scupper FTW!)
At first glance, this looks like a strong pick: Having deep roots in the mobility world and being a "gadget freak" isn't a bad thing when enterprise communications seems to be moving increasingly in that direction. Playing hardball with your opponents is also necessary in a consolidating enterprise communications marketplace.
Akhavan has clearly been on the international side, so it's not clear how his appointment affects Mark Stone's stated goal of increasing SEN's North American market share. M&A doesn't seem to have been a major part of Akhavan's portfolio at DT, and Mark Stone stressed to me that SEN would be purusing this route for growing the company. But it's not clear that this is necessarily critical for the new CEO; Gores Group are the M&A guys, and you'd expect Stone, who will stay on as SEN chairman, would drive this part of the business while Akhavan crafts the technology vision.
We'll be looking forward to hearing Akhavan and the rest of SEN as they set forth that vision.Deutsche Telekom COO Hamid Akhavan, described as "visionary" at DT, will replace interim CEO Mark Stone, who will continue as chairman.
